


Caught in the Crossfire

by naolin1243



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Background Relationships, Blood and Violence, Drug Addiction, Drug Dealing, Gun Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mafia AU, Rare Pairings, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27347620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naolin1243/pseuds/naolin1243
Summary: Himekawa Aoi is a young reporter at Tokyo's top news network. He's assigned to interview Kuroo Tetsurou, leader of an underground fight club and heir to the mafia throne. When their interview at the bistro is rudely interrupted, Himekawa finds himself being caught in the crossfire, dragged into a dismal world most people like him would never care to know was right under their noses.
Relationships: Himekawa Aoi/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	Caught in the Crossfire

**Author's Note:**

> Kuroo/Himekawa? Never heard of that one. Yeah, cause I made it up. And now I love it, at least for this AU. So allow me to drag you into a journey through KuroHime hell. See you in the end notes!

Just the thought alone hit him like a truck, and he knew it was something he could never forget. It was a visual he wished he could though, badly. 

Was that selfish of him? Maybe this is just what the world is like. He had been blessed to be born on the kinder side of things; a foolish side. One that was blind and naive, blissfully ignorant to the have-nots of this world. 

Himekawa Aoi really was in over his head.

-

Fresh meat in the industry, Himekawa had only joined the company some 6 months ago. He considered himself immensely lucky for this, getting hired onto the largest news network in Tokyo. In all honesty, he felt he didn’t deserve it. 

The applicant pool was massive, with thousands of applications being sent in, desperate for this one position. They were all just as qualified, he knew. Yet he was the one with the interview, and in the end he was the one who got the job. The handshake was firm but clammy, his nerves through the roof, even with the job safely secured. 

He had never been one to give himself any credit. He was a hard worker, disciplined and consistent. Even if he wasn’t the smartest or most advanced in his classes, he worked hard all throughout high school in order to land himself in a good university. All the same, he gave it his all in university, even if he didn’t graduate with a perfect transcript. 

He assumed it was his friendship with one Azumane Asahi that landed him the job, seeing as connections were a common tool used to get hired on. Not that he had befriended Asahi back in university for any ulterior motive, not at all. They genuinely enjoyed each other’s company, and found comfort in their similar dispositions. Although, he would admit that Asahi was much more sensitive and anxiety-ridden than even he, which was saying something. There were subtle differences in their personalities, even if it was hard to tell by most at first glance. 

While they were both shy and nervous types, Himekawa was insatiably curious. Asahi was much more content staying in his comfort zone, even if it meant missing out or never knowing. He had never been the type to take risks, often settling and letting things slip through his fingers when it got difficult. That wasn’t Aoi, even he himself with all his self doubt could recognize that. Nevertheless, they balanced each other out well enough, Himekawa pushing his senpai to put himself out there and Azumane grounding his kouhai to reality when the latter was taking things too far. 

And now they would resume their friendship and partnership through the company, with Azumane working as a journalist— a more behind-the-scenes position. 

It suited him well, Aoi decided.

“Anything new on the Kiyama case?” a gentle voice asked from behind him.

Turning his attention away from the screen, Himekawa’s gaze met Azumane’s. His lashes flitted, gaze falling to the cup of coffee in the other man’s large hands. “No, I called investigators from the case this morning, they said there were no new leads.”

He noticed Asahi wilt, just a little. But he was quick to offer a reassuring smile for Himekawa. “I see. Well, I’m sure she’ll turn up soon enough. She couldn’t have gone too far on her own.”

Pursing his lips, Aoi wasn’t sure how helpful that tidbit was. It had been over a week without a single spotting of the 5 year old anywhere. It was unlikely that wherever she was, she was at all safe. Everyone knew this, yet here his colleague was giving him false hopes.

Himekawa knew he couldn’t keep a gloomy face, so he reacted with a small smile. “You’re right, I’m sure she’ll turn up eventually.” He nodded his head toward the cup. “Is that for me?”

“Oh, yeah. Thought you could use it, you seem a little tired.” Asahi passed the paper cup over.

Careful as he brought it to his chest, Himekawa thanked him, his eyes watching the steam rise.

Tired wasn’t quite the word he would’ve chosen, but it was true that he had some trouble sleeping last night. He was the one assigned to the Kiyama case, it being his first major story to cover since working there. Up until then he had been covering the sports section of their news stories, which was a low-risk genre all things considered. Proving himself as a reliable reporter and a quick learner, he was offered a case in the main headlines, which he had eagerly accepted as some sort of promotion.

It was nothing like he had expected. It was so much to take in for a segment that would likely only last some 2 minutes on the air. Yet he had no room to complain, at least not when comparing it to what he witnessed that morning.

A mother that cried, no, grieved for her child. Wretched and inconsolable, her hair was untamed, eyes sunken and almost lifeless. Her only child, she had lost a piece of herself. Himekawa felt his heart clench tighter and tighter as she recounted her struggle to even conceive a child, how her husband lost the battle to his illness, leaving her to care for their newborn child alone. Her daughter would only come to mean that much more to her, carrying the love that would’ve fallen to two people all into one.

But now that light was gone.

After some time, the conversations they had were completely off-script. Himekawa had all his questions answered already, but something compelled him to stay. Her responses, even post-interview, were rather brief and cold, her voice weak and raspy after what Aoi was sure were days and days of sobs and screams in her empty home. He didn’t mind the cold attitude though, he had no right to. He wouldn’t pry for answers if she wasn’t willing, and he kept his voice gentle and soft, despite the sight before him tearing at his chest and urging him to cry.

At the end of his visit he promised to keep them in his thoughts and prayers, too uncertain to offer the woman a hug, a move which he now regrets looking back.

Himekawa had continued working diligently throughout the shift, later taking his lunch break alone rather than with Asahi as he usually did. The taller man took no offense to this, understanding that his kouhai very well may be a bit shaken up. Once he returned to his work desk, he noticed a little orange sticky note on the top border of his screen. Gently peeling it off, he gave a soft sigh, immediately recognizing the meek but tidy penmanship. Azumane had written down a little to-do list of Himekawa’s tasks for the rest of the shift. It was thoughtful, really, he wished Asahi could do something like this everyday. He’d much rather get directions this way than from his coldly imposing superiors.

\- Check-in with Mrs. Kiyama  
\- Meet with PR department about upcoming photo op  
\- Respond to new emails and voicemails  
\- Check competing stations for coverage

Nothing too difficult, though he wasn’t really in the mood to meet with other departments at the moment. He found it easier with Asahi to keep up a conversation in this mindset. But that was an exception, not a standard for himself.

With a weak yawn, he opened his contacts page and sifted through the alphabetical list before locating Kiyama’s phone number. While he found it too harsh to say he dreaded speaking to the woman, he still hoped that this wouldn’t be as heavy as yesterday’s visit.

Then again, he supposed there was a limit to how painful a phone call could be, certainly nothing like seeing it all in-person.

One ring.. Then two, then three. No answer.

Aoi pursed his lips. That can’t be good, he thought to himself.

Even so, there wasn’t much he could do. Whether a slow news day or not, he was stuck in his shift for another three hours, and it’s not like he could force her to answer the phone.

Oh well. Back to work then. Maybe she’ll be more open to talk tomorrow. After all, sticking beside someone in these sorts of situations was the least a person could do, right?

-

He was much better the next day, sleeping an hour or two more than he had the night before. His conversation with Asahi that morning was notably livelier, even passing a couple of jokes back and forth with each other. 

It seemed that Himekawa bounced back rather well.

He had knocked out most of the day's tasks with ease, crossing out each item on the list with a subtle but satisfied smile on his face. 

He had been approached at his desk by one of the station’s assignment editors, Gumo-san, asking if he wanted to go with her to the nearby bistro for lunch. He was caught off guard, and he’d be lying if he said there wasn’t a bit of color to his cheeks. But he accepted, with a little encouragement from Asahi who gave a thumbs up from some ways away at his desk.

He was glad that they were already dressed in their work uniforms, since Himekawa’s fashion sense outside of work wasn’t the most aesthetic or trendy. He had gone on a couple of dates in the past, nothing too fancy though. While these past dates had never outwardly complained about his outfits, he took the hint through their facial expressions or held-in giggles. Now that he thought about it, he had never had more than a second date with someone. That wasn’t a good sign, especially for what’s to come. Nonetheless, he shook these thoughts from his head and kept an upbeat smile as he walked with Gumo. 

She was very beautiful, even Aoi would admit. Bouncy raven locks of hair in loose curls, dark eyes with long lashes and pale, porcelain skin. From the few interactions they’d had at work before, she seemed couth and highly observant, clearly well-versed in the industry.

Seating themselves by the window once they arrived, they discussed what they planned to order from the menu. Small talk was to be expected; how their shift was going, how life was treating them, and mindless observations about this week’s weather. There was a lull in the conversation once all boxes were checked, Himekawa nervously pretending to read through the menu while Gumo seemed unfazed by the long silence.

Once the waiter left with their orders, Aoi gave an awkward chuckle, finally lowering the tall menu onto the table. “So, I’m gonna be honest, I was pretty surprised that you asked me on this date, especially since we don’t really-” 

“This isn’t a date.”

“... I beg your pardon?”

“This isn’t a date. I brought you here to discuss your next assignment.”

His posture stiffening, he gave an awkward smile. “Next assignment? But I’m still working with Mrs. Kiyama-”

“You can do both, having more than one major assignment isn’t uncommon. We need you right now, all of our other reporters have packed schedules. Besides, you’re still a rookie. I’d be jumping for the opportunity if I were you.”

Himekawa sighed, but it’s not like he was going to refuse. “What’s this new assignment, then? I’d like to know what I’m getting into, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“The mafia has a couple of potential heirs in line for-”

Himekawa shot up from his seat, hands planted onto the table. “I’m not getting involved with mafia business! Are you nuts?”

“Himekawa, you’re making a scene. People are staring.”

“What if I accidentally offend one of them, or they think I know too much? They’ll blow my brains out!” 

Gumo’s brows furrowed together, arms folded tightly across her chest. “I’m not asking, I’ve already assigned it to you. We need to get this story out. Besides, it’s not like you’re going to do anything crazy. You’re just going to interview a person of interest, that’s it. Now sit back down and relax, your palms are getting sweat on the table.”

Interviewing a member of the mafia? Was he interviewing the boss himself? No way, she would never refer to such a powerful figure as simply a ‘person of interest’.

He ran a hand through his hair and dropped back into his seat. “Who is this person of interest then?” He was hoping for his own sake the interviewee would be patted down beforehand.

“As I was saying, the boss has a couple of heirs in line to lead the mafia when he chooses to retire. One of them has recently been found to be running an underground fight club in Ginza. We’d already covered rumors about this fight club in the past, but now with this leak of information we have that other stations don’t yet, it’s critical that we put out a story before it falls to someone else. This could very well be the biggest story we publish all year.”

Damn, she knew just how to plant a seed with that last comment. The biggest story published all year, by a newbie like him? This could be huge for his career… he was basically being handed opportunity on a silver platter!

Biting his lip, he processed all the information given to him once more. Like she said, it was just a simple interview, right? This one interview could change his whole life! If anything, he’d be a fool not to accept.

“... I’ll do it.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

“Thank you for such an opportunity, Gumo-san. I won’t let you down!”

“You’d better not. I’m putting a lot of faith in you, Himekawa. Not that I have much choice, but I’m taking a big risk with you. I expect you to come back with a great piece for us.”

He bowed his head to the table. “Yes ma’am!”

It didn’t take too long after that for their orders to arrive, Himekawa digging into his meal as soon as the waiter left. But as he was taking his bites, he noticed that Gumo hadn’t eaten any of her food yet. In fact, she looked rather disinterested in the meal presented before her.

“Ah… Gumo-san, aren’t you going to eat?” 

“Hm? Oh, no thanks, I hate sweet food. Sour and bitter is much more up my alley.”

Himekawa raised a brow at this, mouth half full with food. Such a preference was a little too on the nose for someone like her. “Then why order a dessert?”

“This isn’t for me.”

He stopped eating, his chopsticks still in midair. “I’m sorry? I don’t understand-”

“Ah, there he is now. Speak of the devil.” She got up and out of her seat, a polite but almost seedy smile spreading onto her face as she moved to stand beside the table.

The bell to the bistro rang as the door swung open, it’s jingle ringing throughout the dining room. If the silence that just fell over the room was any indication, it couldn't be anything good.

“A pleasure to finally meet you, Kuroo-san. Please, have a seat. The interviewer is ready for you.”

Suddenly unable to swallow, a wide-eyed Himekawa simply held the mouthful of food in his cheeks, slowly turning his head to look behind himself.

Tall, well-built and alluring, a raven-haired man stood before him in a white dress shirt and black slacks. The top couple buttons of his shirt intentionally undone, gold jewelry hanging lavishly wherever fit; his hair somehow managed to appear both untamed yet meticulously styled at the same time.

The stranger seemed to leer down at him, as if analyzing every last detail about Himekawa’s being through their locked gaze alone.

Whether not noticing or not caring, Gumo simply gave Himekawa an effortless goodbye before dismissing herself and striding out of the quaint restaurant, leaving the two alone in a painfully tense silence.

This is who he was supposed to be interviewing? Right here, right now? An underboss to the mafia? Running an underground fight club? He supposed that explained the formidable and sly aura.

Finally swallowing his food, Himekawa cleared his throat and stood up before Kuroo-san.

“Himekawa Aoi, reporter for JPN Tokyo. Thank you for coming this afternoon.”

The taller male stared at the hand Himekawa offered to him— not in disdain, though he didn’t seem to have any intention of shaking it either.

“Er… Maybe not. Care to sit down, then?”

Some first impression this was. 

Kuroo scowled at him with a cocked brow and crossed arms. “Am I supposed to hand you a wet-nap? There’s crumbs all over your face.” 

Rigid with humiliation, Aoi’s face lit up pink, even up to the ears. “I had no idea, I’m so sorry about that,” he rushed to madly swipe at his face with a napkin from the table.

Then from behind him came a loud snicker. Following the sound with trailing eyes, Himekawa saw it. The most smug, shit-eating grin he’d ever seen in his whole life.

“Nah, I was just fucking with ya. You really are too easy.”

"W-What?"

This guy… 

“But hey, you looked real cute all flustered like that. I just might have to keep ‘em coming.”

… is a total jerk!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a know-it-all about mafia junk, so if it isn't 100% accurate I apologize! But I hope you enjoyed this first chapter nonetheless :) Chapter Two coming soon! 
> 
> Love you teehee xoxo


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